LIFE CHANGING COMMUNITY

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The Value of Praying Together

This is a 'what do you value' question. Do you value opportunities to pray with fellow Christians? We talk about prayer, and we say how important prayer is, or should be, in our lives. But, and yes there is a BUT, how often do we engage in prayer with others? Chatting with a friend a couple of weeks ago, a comment was said, 'We should pray'. How I valued my friend's wise discernment that, yes, after our wonderful time catching up, we were able to pray together as fellow Christians. Prayer is not easy for many people. Most of us keep prayer as requests to the Lord, superficial, and often we have a list of petitions. But real, honest prayer means being honest, vulnerable, and genuine. The value of praying together ( some Scripture. I encourage you to search for more scripture passages): Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unit

How are you tracking in 2023?

At the beginning of a new year, many people make resolutions. The reasons to make a resolution/s vary from changing careers to losing weight or becoming healthier. Interestingly, reading the article from finder.com.au I noted that having or increasing their families isn't a resolution. Buying a home is not in the top five activities. However, eating more healthily and saving more money are at the top of the list. So how are you tracking in 2023? Our resolutions often are made to improve our physical or financial needs. But what about our spiritual needs? 'It takes wisdom to build a house and understanding to set it on a firm foundation; It takes knowledge to furnish its rooms with fine furniture and beautiful draperies. It’s better to be wise than strong; intelligence outranks muscle any day. Strategic planning is the key to warfare; to win, you need a lot of good counsel.' Proverbs 24:3-5 (The Message) Proverbs 21:2 says, 'A person may think their own ways are r

Involved, Invested and Excited

Recent articles that I've read advise against multi-tasking. If you are multi-tasking, you are likely to become less efficient in your job/role. I smiled, reading these articles and social media posts. One question I had was, 'Do any of these writers have experience as receptionists or front office staff'? Working for many years in both front of the office and in the back of the office, I am aware of the different demands on how you manage your time and tasks. Introducing streamlined processes is not to be less efficient. Streamlined processes are to ensure that the work requiring detail and research is given sufficient time and diligence. However, if you are tasked to prepare detailed reports, and ensure that the reception area, phone calls, and emails are dealt with simultaneously, then it may become difficult to accomplish all tasks in a timely manner without either a less-than-acceptable report, or staff becoming frustrated and flustered, which unfortunately, shows

Providing tips to working from home

One of the joys of working from home is that you are in 'your space'. However, working from home also means organizing, creating a peaceful space to allow creativity and thrive, and keeping it simple. There are challenges to working from home. Simple points such as: not being distracted by clutter, noise, or household jobs, being present in getting your work completed and not distracted by scrolling on social media, ensuring your family and friends know that you have set times when you are working, and not available to socialize, even though you are physically at home, keeping your space clean and tidy so that distractions of clutter or accumulation of piles don't deter you from completing assigned workloads. How could you minimize distractions? Set time aside weekly to clean your office space and go through any piles of accumulated paperwork, etc, Set time aside daily to ensure that you have completed simple tasks before you begin working in your home office. (Making y

Value your Team

Many people make a team. How you or management treat can determine whether the team is cohesive, excited, encouraging, and forward-thinking, or, in dissension, disheartening, reactionary, and critical. So, how can you value your staff and/or volunteers? One simple step is simply saying 'Thank you'! But do not just say the words, follow up with action. You may choose to hold a monthly or bi-monthly morning tea, encouraging your team to engage with one another and build their working relationships and discuss the challenges and successes within their areas of volunteering or work. Communication I cannot emphasize enough how important communication is to value your team, whether paid or volunteer. Regular, open communication is vital to building an effective team that is cohesive, excited, and working well together. Equip Your Team Your team is unable to effectively engage in their roles if they are not equipped with resources and training. In many industries, "toolbox ta

How To

As a 'seasoned adult', I've had many years of experience in areas of not-for-profit, as well as paid employment. Having trained several incoming staff through a variety of various positions, I noted it can be difficult to pass on all information that the incoming staff member may require. Trivial things such as where floral arrangements/wreaths are purchased, or what to remember at various times of the year may not be recorded in the job guidelines but are intrinsically part of the role. That's where a "How To" document might be helpful. In this document (which I refer to as a 'living document), you note small incidentals, timelines, and practical notes that can assist the incoming staff member as they learn about what is required, especially after you are no longer working in that area. Looking back, I now realize that such a document in my early years of working in both paid and N-F-P work, would have been invaluable. This document can be continually c